What started out as an idea by Wally Thurow in 1956 to offer something creative for the students of Sycamore has grown from a neighborhood display on his front yard into the town’s biggest city-wide event, beginning on Wednesday with the Opening Ceremony and cake cutting and concluding on Sunday afternoon with a parade.
The festival has over 1000 entries in the Lions Club Decorated Pumpkin Display, two carnivals, many not-for-profit vendors, three indoor craft shows, Saturday entertainment, and various activities, and it concludes on Sunday with a 90-minute parade.
Our History
Back in 1956, Wally Thurow, who is known as Sycamore’s “Mr. Pumpkin,” began what was to become the Sycamore Pumpkin Festival when he displayed a few decorated pumpkins on his front lawn to turn Halloween into a time of fun and creativity. In 1962, through the efforts of Mr. Pumpkin and the Sycamore Lions Club, the Sycamore Pumpkin Festival became an official celebration in Sycamore.
Every year, the Pumpkin Festival unites more than 30 DeKalb County not-for-profit groups, working to provide a weekend of Halloween fun for all. The Courthouse lawn is the center of activities, including thousands of decorated pumpkins on display, there are also art and craft shows, a house walk, a pie eating contest, a carnival, a fun fair, a race, and other events. The festival is concludes with a giant parade on Sunday afternoon.
Our Mission
The Sycamore Pumpkin Festival is a community celebration, showcasing our local not-for-profit organizations.
Our Purpose
The Sycamore Pumpkin Festival Committee is responsible for coordinating the annual Sycamore Pumpkin Festival, a family-oriented festival, to be held in the fall of each year. The festival promotes awareness of the City of Sycamore and provides and opportunity for DeKalb County not-for-profit organizations to participate in fund raising activities, community education, and enrichment.
📣 Attention Pumpkin Parade participants and DeKalb County Non Profit Vendors!
Applications for the 2024 Pumpkin Festival are OPEN on our website:
SycamorePumpkinFestival.com
All applications are due by Sept. 1, 2024.
Questions? Please PM us.
🎃 𝑪𝑶𝑵𝑮𝑹𝑨𝑻𝑼𝑳𝑨𝑻𝑰𝑶𝑵𝑺!!🧡
The 2024 Theme Winners are
Honorable Mention: Jaxson Ruby, 1st Grade-South Prairie Elementary
Winner: Samuel Schwartz, “Pumpkins Around the World” 4th Grade-North Grove Elementary
Honorable Mention: Leo Berek, 4th Grade-West Elementary
Congratulations to St. Mary’s School for winning the most number of submissions.
Thank you to all of our Sycamore students who participated in our theme contest!!
𝑻𝑶𝑫𝑨𝒀’𝑺 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑫𝑨𝒀!! 🧡
The 2024 Pumpkin Festival Theme will be announced and the Award Winners will be named! 🎃
• 6:00 pm
• Courthouse Steps
🥳 Come and celebrate with the Sycamore students who submitted their amazing ideas!
Many hands make light work! And between our committee members and members of the Sycamore Lions Club , we got all of the historical archives and organization supplies moved to the new storage space.
Many thanks to Lions Club member and past president of the Sycamore Pumpkin Festival, Jerry Malmassari for his amazing organization skills!!
#NonProfits #SycamoreIL
👏 April is National Volunteer Month!
📣 Shoutout to our 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘳 Sycamore Pumpkin Festival committee that works year round to bring activities you & your family will enjoy each year!
If you see a committee member, please thank them!
🎃 Sycamore Pumpkin Festival Committee:
Vendors & Carnivals: Chris Boyes
Parade: Terri Goodman & Jerome Perez
Entertainment: Melissa Dobberstein Theme: Brandi Voigt
Historian & Info Booth: Rob Dancey
Trash & Port-a-Potties: Cole Regnery
Social Media: Terri Goodman
Website: Jerome Perez
Committee Members: Dave Coovert & Michael DeVito
Legal Advisor: Riley Oncken
City Liasions: Jeff Wig & Stacy Binkowski
President: Cole Regnery
Vice President: Chris Boyes
Treasurer: Jerome Perez
Secretary: Jayne Higgins
🧡 Thank you ~ your hard work is appreciated by so many!
#Volunteers #NonProfit #SycamorePumpkinFestival
🎃 𝑹𝑬𝑴𝑰𝑵𝑫𝑬𝑹 ~ 2024 Pumpkin Festival Theme Contest submissions entries due by April 7, 2024.
Open to all Sycamore grade school students Kindergarten-5th grade.
This includes Sycamore CUSD 427, St. Mary’s School in Sycamore, ACS Cornerstone and home schooled students residing in Sycamore.
Visit https://sycamorepumpkinfestival.com/theme/
📣 Hey Sycamore students…while you’re on spring break, get your 🎃2024 Pumpkin Festival Theme Contest submissions written!!
Entries due by April 7, 2024.
Open to all Sycamore grade school students Kindergarten-5th grade.
This includes Sycamore CUSD 427, St. Mary’s School in Sycamore, ACS Cornerstone and home schooled students residing in Sycamore.
Visit https://sycamorepumpkinfestival.com/theme/
🎃2024 Pumpkin Festival Theme Contest
Open to all Sycamore grade school students Kindergarten-5th grade.
This includes Sycamore CUSD 427, St. Mary’s School in Sycamore, ACS Cornerstone and home schooled students residing in Sycamore.
Entries due by April 7, 2024.
Visit https://sycamorepumpkinfestival.com/theme/
🎃 Congratulations to one of our longtime pumpkin parade participants, Rebecca Andersen, the Kaneland Harter Middle School Band Director! Her jazz band was selected to perform at the IL Music Educators Convention this weekend in Peoria!
Congratulations to Rebecca and her students on this major accomplishment! 🎶
Keeping Wally warm and festive!!
🎅🏻Jolly Old St. Wally 🎶
Many thanks to the locals who do this! 🥰
